Tag: fiddle
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It’s All About the Bow
Assuming that you have at least a moderate-quality fiddle or violin (that is properly set up) and some skill at playing it, NOTHING matters to your playing, the sound your playing makes and your development as a bowed string musician than the bow. The old rule of thumb that we old people were taught is…
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Dr. Don Rickert Revisiting the Best Bow for Octave Violins and Fiddles Question
In an earlier post, I (Don Rickert) presented more or less a summary of what various musicians use to play octave violin or octave fiddle. In that post, I mentioned that the extraordinary 'cellist and also really good fiddler, Natalie Haas, uses a French-style 'cello bow on her octave violin. Natalie has since informed me…
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NEW YouTube Videos by Don Rickert Design (and Don Rickert Lutherie)
First, you might have noted that we are starting to use the name Don Rickert Design rather than Don Rickert Lutherie. The reason for this is that we are branching out from just designing and making stringed instruments. Lutherie only refers to the design, making, setup and repair of STRINGED instruments. We are also in…
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Reinventing the Wheel and Musical Instrument Design
In response to one of my recent posts, a short "teaser" article for a new line of free reed instruments by Don Rickert Design, my friend David Mills commented that he once proposed the idea of replacing the bellows of organ-type free reed instruments with a foot-powered air pump and was accused of simply reinventing the…
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Kira and Her Adventurer IId Travel Violin Save the Day at the Abbey in Conques
Before Our Story, A Little Bit About the 1,000 Year-Old Sainte-Foy Abbey Church The Sainte-Foy Abbey (of the Benedictine Order) Church in Conques, France (the Southern part of France) was a popular stop for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela, in what is now Spain. Its construction began sometime in the 1020s and…
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The Violin Tail Gut: What Goes Around Comes Around (Part 3)
Introduction We ended Part 2 of this article with commentary of the difficulty of installing a Kevlar tail cord. This final part delves into how its done and touches on the matter of whether or not it is worth the trouble. Removing the Tailpiece First, "tie-off" the strings so that they do not unravel on the pegs…
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